Electric controller



A ril 13, 1954 K. K. WYCKOFF I ELECTRIC CONTROLLER Filed March 9, 1950,

5 Shets-Sheet 1 zzl l4 3 5' I c b INVENTOR KENNETH K. WYOKOFF ATTORNEYApril 13, 1954 wYcKoFF 2,675,443

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER Filed March 9, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR KENNETH K. WYGKOFF ATTORNEY April 13, 1954 K. K. WYCKOFF I2,675,443

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER Filed March 9, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORKENNETH K. WYCKOFF ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 13, 954

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER Kenneth K. Wyckoii, San Diego, Calif., assignor tothe UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyApplication March 9, 1950, Serial No. 148,681

4 Claims. (CL. 200-98) The present invention relates to anelectromagnetic contactor for an electric motor, and

more particularly to an electromagnetic contactor which reverses itsposition each time its actuation circuit is closed.

In certain types of echo ranging systems, it is necessary to reverse thedirection of the moving radiation system, and since the radiation systemis usually driven by an electric motor, to reverse an electric motor. Itis necessary that the motor reverse quickly and that theelectro-magnetic contactor used to control the motor be rugged andreliable, Presently available contactors have developed considerablecontact difficulties when employed in shipboard installations. It isdesirable to simplify the control circuit so that only asingle controlcircuit is required to control the reversing circuit.

, The present invention relates to a rugged snapaction reversingcontactor which reverses its position each time a single control circuitis energized without regard to the length of time during which thecontrol circuit is energized.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rugged reversingcontactor for an electric motor.

It is .a further object of the present invention to provide a reversingcontactor which is relativelyinsensitive to shock loading by rough wateror enemy action.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide areversing electromagnetic contactor which requires only a single controlcircuit.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reversingelectromagnetic contactor which is maintained in a desired position bymeans of spring pressure.

It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide anelectromagnetic switch which operates auxiliary contacts in a desiredsequence.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the use of the presentinvention.

Referring now to Figure l of the drawings, the supporting frame of thecontactor consists of a base plate H, a longitudinal partition i. e., anend support l3, and a transverse support It, preferably composed ofinsulating material although non-magnetic metallic substances may alsobe employed if desired. The several supporting members may be moldedinto a'u'nitary structure if desired ormay be fabricated.

It is'.a furtherobject of. the present inventicn to provide anelectromagnetic switch having two operating movements in a positivesequence. It is a final object of the present invention to provide .areversing electromagnetic contactor whichjis unaifected by the period ofenergization of its control circuit.

' Further. objects andadvantages of the pres- ,entinventionwill be madeapparent by reference to the following description and to the appendeddrawings in which: 1

Figure 1 is a plan view in prospective of the contactor of the presentinvention; jFigu p zisa cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 inFigure'l; and

A pair of actuating magnets 16 and 22 are attached to the sides of thelongitudinal partition I2 between the end support l3 and the transversesupport M, the actuating magnets and their associated structure beingduplicates and for this reason, only one will be described in detailherein.

As best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the actuating magnet 16consists of a horizontal core I! wound with a coil I8 and a pair of coremembers l9 parallel to the core ll. The coil I8 is of conventionaldesign well-known to those skilled in the art. Each actuating magnet isprovided with a fast-acting and a sloweacting armature slidably mountedadjacent the ends of the core members I! and I9 and diamagnetic rods 20passing through the end support I3 and the transverse support I4. Itwill be apparent that the armatures may be hinged rather than slidablysupported, if desired, or other wellknown mechanical methods may beemployed.

The fast-acting armature 25 is slidably mounted on the. rods. 20 betweenthe actuating magnet l6 and the end support 23 and carries the magneticcore member 26 thereon. The

bridging contacts 28 and 30 are also mounted on to the actuating magnetand in moving to its actuated position, it magnetically connects thecore I! and the core. members I9 to form a mag.- netic circuit for theoperating coil. The magnetic circuit thus formed greatly increases themagnetic flux adjacent the slow acting armature The slow. acting.armature .35 is slidably mounted on the rods 20 betweentheactuatingmagnet and the transverse support I4 and carries the core member 36 andthe bridging contact 31 cooperating with the contacts 38 mounted on thetransverse support I4. The core 36 is spaced from the actuating magnetI5 by a distance appreciably greater than the spacing between the core26 and the. actuating magnet, so that the operating coil I8 cannotactuate the armature 35 until the armature 25 has reached its actuatedposition.

The operating rod 40 is attached to the armature 35 and passes throughthe hole M in the transverse support I4 to the contact support 43. Thecontact support 43 is also slidably mounted on the rods 20 and carries aplurality of bridging contacts 44, 45 on the side adjacent thetransverse support I4, a plurality of contacts 46, 41 being mounted onthe transverse support I4 in a position to cooperate with the bridgingcontacts 46, 41.

Referring to Figure l, a bracket 60 is mounted on the longitudinalpartition I2 and carries the lever 6| pivotally mounted therein. Thecontact supports 43, 54 are provided with pivotal brackets 83, 64,respectively which are attached to the lever 6| so that the contactsupports move in opposite directions when the lever is rotated about itsattachment to the bracket 60.

The post 65 is attached to the base plate II at a position in the sametransverse plane asthe bracket 60 and is provided at its upper end withan extendable arm 6T having a spring 68 tending to extend the arm. Theouter end of the arm 61 is attached to the end of the lever so that thelever BI and the arm 61- form a toggle joint and the attached contactsupports 43, 54 are urged away from an equidistant position with respectto the transverse support I4. Thus the spring 68 maintains one or theother of the contact supports 43, 54 in a closed position and the otherin an open position.

The arrangement and number of contacts carried by the transverse supportI4 and of bridging contacts carried by the contact supports 43,, 54will. depend upon the circuit in which it is employed. The design ofcontact systems. is old and well-known to those skilled in the art, andthe arrangement shown herein is merely illustrative. As shown herein,four contacts are provided on each side of the transverse support I4 andeach contact support is provided with two bridging contacts.

The present description is directed to pairs of contacts and acooperating bridging contact which completes the circuit because iteliminates the need of connections to moving parts and because itextinguishes arcing more rapidly by providing a double break in thecircuit. How ever, other methods may be substituted for that shown ifdesired.

Referring now to Figure 3, which shows the present invention connectedin the circuit of a direct current shunt motor supplied with power fromthe leads I5, I6 the field 8| of the electric motor is connecteddirectly to the leads, while the armature 82 is connected to the leadsI5, I6 through the contacts 44, 45, 46, 41, 90, 9I, 92, 93. The controlcircuit is energized from the leads 95, 91 which may be connected toalternating current or direct current. As illustrated the motor isoperating, its armatur being energized by a circuit extendi g from thelead, 16 through the wire IOI to the now closed contacts 46, and by thewire I02 to the brush 83 on the armature 82. The brush 84 is connectedby the wire I03,

wire I04, contacts 41, wire I05, and wire I09 to lead I5.

When the push-button is pressed, a circuit is established to reverse themotor, extending from the push-button 95 through wire IIO, wire: III toth coil 23 of actuating magnet 22, and by wires H2" and H3 to. theclosed, contacts 50, wirev II3, the closed contacts 29 and byawires H4and I I5 to the lead 91. Energization of the coil 23 moves the armature50 to open its contacts 59, 60v and, close its contacts I3, whichestablishes a path shunting the contacts 53 and 29 and extendingv fromthe wire I I2, I I3 through the contacts 1.3. and the. wire IIB to thewire H5. The circuit to the coil I8 of the actuating magnet I6 is openedby the contact 31 on the armature 35 and the contact 30 on the armature25.

At the. time the coil 23 is energized and before the armature 50 hasmoved against the core, the actuating magnet 22 is incapable of movingthe armature. 53 aga nst the spr n 61, However, when; its magnet circuitis interconnected by the armature, the. actuati gma pet then draws tharmature 53 toward it which moves the contact, support 43, and thearmature 35, away trom theactuating magnet I6 and disconnects thearmature circuit oi the motor from. thelead 1,5, 1.6,. As the armature53 is moved, it opens. the con tacts 53, closes the contacts. 92, 93 by.the con-9 tact support 54, opens contacts, 46, 41, by. the contactssupport 43, and closes contacts, 33 on the armature. 3,5.

The armature circuit is now as follows: from the lead I5 through theleadI06 tov the lead III. the contacts, 92 and the wire III}, to, the brush83, of th armature 82 The brush 8,4 is connected by the wire L03, to.the contacts. 93, and through the wire [I9 to the lead 16. The polarityof e a mature i us re erse and. the mote now operates in the oppositedirection. When the push-button 9,5 is released, the armature 50 returnsto its normal position, opening the contacts, I3, and closing contacts60, thus completing the circuit for coil I8 when the push-button 95 isagain closed.

Wh n e push-bu ton 5. s a n pr s ed, the coil [8 of the actuating magnetis energized through a circuit extending from, the push-but ton 95 bythe wire IIO to the coil I8, wire I2 I to the contacts 38 wire I22 tocontacts 60, and wires I23 and H5 to the lead 91, the circuit to coil 23being opened by the contacts 21 and 12. When the armature 25 moves toits actuated position, h ary circuit is established by the. contacts 30,3I,,' and the armature 35 then moves to its actuated position, thusreturning th con: tact supports 43, 54 to their original positions andreversing the rotation of the armature. 82.

It should be noted that the proper sequence of operation of the fiastarmature and the slow armature associated with each actuating magnet isinsured by malging the pull of the actuating magnet in its normalposition less than the force required to actuate the slow-actingarmature but sufficient to actuate the fast-acting armature. However,when the core structure carried by the fast-acting armature is moved toabut the magnet core. the magnetic flux is concentrated and the pullthen becomes sufficient to draw the slow acting armature to its actuatedposition. This feature of the present invention precludes thefast-acting. armature mov ng to open the contacts associated therewithuntil the auxiliary i u a b en. tablishe F r hsrmg e. (t e normallyclosed contacts on the fast-acting arm es ture remain open until thepush-button is released and thereby prevent energization of the otheractuating magnet until the push-button has been released and pressedagain.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes andmodifications may be made in the present invention. The armatures may behinged rather than slidably supported, and any desired type of contactsmay be employed. The number of circuits to be controlled Will determinethe number of contacts employed and the connections thereto. Both thecontrol circuit and the power circuit may be operated from either directcurrent or alternating current, as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electromagnetically operated switch, a first and a secondactuating mechanism; each of said actuating mechanism comprising anoperat ing coil adapted to be connected to a source of electric power, afirst movably mounted armature spaced and biased from one end of saidoperating coil positioned to be attracted toward said operating coil andto form a portion of a magnetic circuit for said operating coil when inan actuated position, a second movably mounted armature spaced from theother end of said operating coil positioned to be attracted toward saidoperating, coil and said first armature to form another portion of themagnetic circuit thereof and contact means actuated by said firstarmature; first and second switch members, means connecting one of saidswitch members to said second armature of each of said actuatingmechanism, a centrally pivoted lever having its ends connected to saidrst and second switch members respectively, and a resiliently biasedcompressible arm pivotally connected to one end of said lever to form atoggle joint therewith having a restraining force less than theattractive force of said operating coil on the second armature when saidfirst armature is in an unactuated position and more than the attractiveforce of magnetic circuit of said operating coil on said second armaturewhen said first armature is in an actuated position,

whereby energization of one of said operating coils actuates the firstarmature adjacent thereto to actuate said contact means and thereafterto actuate the second armature adjacent thereto thereby to actuate saidswitch means.

2. In an electromagnetically operated switch having controlled switchmeans and a controlling circuit therefor, first and second actuatingmechanisms each comprising an operating coil adapted to be energizedfrom a source of electric power, first armatures resiliently mountedadjacent to and spaced from one end of each of said operating coilsrespectively to form a part of the magnetic circuit therefor, a firstset of normally closed contacts carried by said first armaturesrespectively, second armatures movably mounted adjacent to and spacedfrom the other ends of each of said operating coils respectively, to beattracted to said operating coil and said first armature associatedtherewith, a second set of normally closed contacts carried by saidsecond armatures respectively, first and second switch membersmechanically connected to said second armatures respectively, a leverpivotally supported near its center and having its ends connected tosaid first and second switch members respectively and an expandable armconnected to one end of said lever, said expandable arm exerting arestraining force more than attractive force on said second armature byone of said operating coils when said first armature adjacent saidoperating coil is in an unactuated position and less than the attractiveforce on said second armature when said first armature is in an actuatedposition, a first coil circuit comprising the operating coil of saidfirst actuating mechanism serially with said second set of normallyclosed contacts of said second armature of said first actuatingmechanism and said first set of normally closed contacts of said firstarmature of said second actuating mechanism respectively, a second coilcircuit comprising the operating coil of said second actuating mechanismserially connected with said second set of normally closed contacts ofsaid second armature of said second actuating mechanism and said firstset of normally closed contacts of said first armature of said firstactuating mechanism, and circuit means for connecting said first andsecond cord circuits in parallel with each other, whereby energizationof said paralleled coil circuits energizes only one of said actuatingmechanisms to reverse the positions of said first and second switchmembers.

3. In an electromagnetic switch, first and second actuating magnets eachcomprising an operating coil and an open magnetic core for said core,first and second movable armatures positioned at respective ends of eachof said magnetic cores and each having a de-energized position spacedfrom said magnetic core and an energized position adjacent said magneticcore, said first and second armatures jointly completing the magneticcircuits of said magnetic cores respectively when said armatures are intheir respective energized positions, first resilient means biasing eachof said first armatures to their respective de-energized positions,lever means having its ends connected to said second armatures, a pivotfor said lever substantially the center thereof, and resilientover-center means connected to said lever means for restraining arespective one of said second armatures to its tie-energized positionhaving a restraining force in excess of the attractive force of therespective actuating magnet when the corresponding first armature is inits de-energized position and less than the attractive force of therespective actuating magnet when said first armature is in its actuatingposition.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 which includes individualizedcontact means mechanically connected with each of said second armatures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 863,185 Jeffries Aug. 13, 1907 1,227,568 Barber May 29, 19171,251,594 Turbayne Jan. 1, 1918 1,550,611 Howe Aug. 18, 1925 1,668,841Doty May 8, 1928 1,694,977 Hall Dec. 11, 1928 1,719,563 Seaberg July 2,1929 1,794,721 McCash Mar. 3, 1931 1,863,836 Derby et al. June 21, 19322,269,741 Seeger Jan. 13, 1942 2,452,065 Moran et a1 Oct. 26, 1948FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,751 Germany July 23, 1927

